Bringing Out The Kid In Adults

When they brought their checkbooks to raise money for the children of Crystal Lake Aug. 28, the bidders attending the Operation Playground Auction didn`t forget the kids inside themselves.

They went for autographed baseballs and hockey pucks, a No. 34 Chicago Bears jersey bearing Walter Payton`s signature, tickets for concerts, sporting events and the theater, hot-air balloon rides, Sybaris gift certificates and dozens of other goodies-things that probably were not on most people`s normal shopping lists.

But, hey, this was for the little ones. Right?

The dinner and auction-both silent and vocal-attracted more than 160 people to the Crystal Lake Holiday Inn and fetched almost $9,000, according to Lynn Overbay, auction coordinator.

``We did well considering there was another fundraiser going on at the same time,`` Overbay said.

The proceeds will go toward constructing a mammoth, $85,000 playground in Woods Creek Park at Ackman and Golf Course Roads.

The labrynthine structure, which will sit on a 10,000-square-foot parcel of land, was designed by Robert S. Leathers, a man some people call the

``Johnny Appleseed of the swing set`` and who has designed 700 playgrounds across the country.

To help Leathers with his schematic, local elementary students offered some ideas in the form of crayon-drawn illustrations, many of which adorned the walls of the auction room.

The kids suggested such features as ``swingy things,`` ``bumpy slides,``

ponds and trampolines. Many of the ideas ended up in the final design, which will include monkey bars, swings, suspension bridges, slides and a bouncing pig. The facility will be soft-surfaced and handicapped accessible.

Operation Playground, a not-for-profit corporation formed by a group of Crystal Lake residents who simply wanted more recreation space for their children, will hold more fundraisers before the target construction date of April 28, 1993.

With the momentum and enthusiasm that pushes the project, there`s no doubt that the group will reach its goal, according to Bob Blazier, executive director of the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce.

``I`m excited about these volunteers. This is a relatively young group of people ... but this is an old-fashioned type of thing.``